The thickened skin in the base of the nail, called the cuticles, can turn out to be very painful if it cracks and if you try to chew on it. It is important that you take proper care of the cuticles so that the nails remain healthy. Read on and get clued in on how you can pamper your cuticles at home.

Cracked cuticles are a result of dehydrated hands and improper diet. People tend to forget this tiny part of the body while tending to the other beauty requirements. Cracked cuticles generally occur during the winter season due to the cold dry air. In other seasons, it may appear due to excessively dry skin or over exposure of the hands to water. Here is a list of easy-to-do-at-home kind of hacks to keep your cuticles pampered and well-maintained.

Start with exfoliation: Do it regularly to prevent overgrowth of the cuticles. You can find exfoliators at the drug or beauty supply store — you can have some fun and whip up a much less expensive batch at home. To use an exfoliating scrub, start with dry hands. Mix oil and sugar into a small bowl of water to create an easy scrub. Massage the scrub into the cuticles in a circular motion for about 30 seconds per finger. Rinse, dry and slather on your cuticle moisturizer.

 Don’t Cut Your Cuticles: Dermatologists say there’s no good reason to cut the cuticles. Cutting them could open the door to infection or irritation. If you remove the cuticle, that space is wide open, and anything can get in there. Cutting your cuticles can also lead to nail problems, such as ridges, white spots, or white lines. If you get a bacterial infection in that area, it can hamper that fingernail’s growth. That’s not particularly aesthetic, as well as being uncomfortable.

Keep Your Hands Out of Your Mouth: “Your mouth is a dirty area, is an enzyme that breaks down skin,” Robinson says. “You can get an infection if you violate the cuticle. “So if you have a habit of biting your nails or nibbling on your cuticles, work on kicking those habits for prettier, healthier hands.

Use of Shea butter: Another very popular product is Shea butter or Shea nut butter which is a natural fat, ivory in color. It is renowned for its properties as a moisturizing cream and an emulsion. It is produced from the seeds of Shea tree and comes in a range of products such as body butter, hand cream and balms. It will not only repair and smoothen the cracks in the nail cuticles but will also protect the cuticles from adverse environmental conditions.

 Healthy diet: It is a well-known fact that a poor and an unhealthy diet will be reflected in our body some way or the other. To prevent damages to the cuticles, people should take a healthy diet. Reduce the quantity of saturated fats, sugar and alcohol from your diet. A diet rich in vitamins, zinc, lean proteins and calcium will help to get better nails and cuticles.

 Steer Clear of Drying Agents: The hands, nails, and cuticles can dry out from frequent dish washing and from nail polish remover containing acetone. So, experts recommend wearing gloves for dish duty and using acetone-free nail polish remover. “Whether washing clothes or dishes, you really need to wear vinyl gloves,” Toombs says. “That’s a good time to put the lubricant on. Having the gloves on keeps the oil on the cuticle and nail plate, and it protects them from the drying effects of water.”